CBR: Larsen First to Depict Obama as President Elect

**CBR News** · 11-11-2008, 01:29 PM

In a piece produced exclusively for a Chicago website, Savage Dragon creator
Erik Larsen became the first comics creator to depict Barack Obama in his new
role as President Elect. In the one-page piece, Obama thanks the Dragon for his
support.

Full article here.

**Arvandor** · 11-11-2008, 02:25 PM

Oh this is going to hurt.

I've long since grown tired of film and television always showing the president as noble and honest and wise. At least comics weren't afraid of portraying the pres as lying scum.

Not any more. Not only will comics also now follow the trend of having a wise and noble president, but use the actual president for it.

Guh.

**Erik Larsen** · 11-11-2008, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Arvandor

Oh this is going to hurt.

I've long since grown tired of film and television always showing the president as noble and honest and wise. At least comics weren't afraid of portraying the pres as lying scum.

Not any more. Not only will comics also now follow the trend of having a wise and noble president, but use the actual president for it.

Guh.

Dude--the guy's not even actually in office yet. Give him time to actually become lying scum before he's depicted as such. Sheesh. This one may actually turn out to be noble and honest and wise. Time will tell.

**Michael P** · 11-11-2008, 06:33 PM

Erik, tell me you're sending the original art to the President-Elect.

**J.R. LeMar** · 11-11-2008, 06:38 PM

That drawing looks nothing like President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama. That's surprising since Erik Larsen did a pretty good likeness of him on the Savage Dragon cover.

**Jimmykitty** · 11-11-2008, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by Arvandor

...
I've long since grown tired of film and television always showing the president as noble and honest and wise....

That won't be the case in Bomb Queen.

**Arvandor** · 11-12-2008, 01:03 AM

Well of course, Jimmy. Can always rely on you.

**Robo Ape** · 11-12-2008, 03:20 AM

Originally Posted by Jimmykitty

That won't be the case in Bomb Queen.

Well I would be more shocked if you did portray him as noble, honest and wise!:)

**Redchief** · 11-12-2008, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by Erik Larsen

Dude--the guy's not even actually in office yet. Give him time to actually become lying scum before he's depicted as such. Sheesh. This one may actually turn out to be noble and honest and wise. Time will tell.

Eric, your being deluded. Just look at how the Obama won his state senate seat (he had the incumbent tossed off the ballet on a technicality) and US Senate seat (both his primary and general election opponents had their sealed, confidential divorce proceedings released, something virtually unheard of). Its hard to believe you can say with a straight face that a politician coming out of the Chicago democratic political machine can be noble, honest and wise.

**suttercain** · 11-12-2008, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by Arvandor

Oh this is going to hurt.

I've long since grown tired of film and television always showing the president as noble and honest and wise. At least comics weren't afraid of portraying the pres as lying scum.

Not any more. Not only will comics also now follow the trend of having a wise and noble president, but use the actual president for it.

Guh.

Originally Posted by Redchief

Eric, your being deluded. Just look at how the Obama won his state senate seat (he had the incumbent tossed off the ballet on a technicality) and US Senate seat (both his primary and general election opponents had their sealed, confidential divorce proceedings released, something virtually unheard of). Its hard to believe you can say with a straight face that a politician coming out of the Chicago democratic political machine can be noble, honest and wise.

Bias much?

**Gavin Higginbotham, BotF** · 11-12-2008, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Redchief

Eric, your being deluded. Just look at how the Obama won his state senate seat (he had the incumbent tossed off the ballet on a technicality) and US Senate seat (both his primary and general election opponents had their sealed, confidential divorce proceedings released, something virtually unheard of). Its hard to believe you can say with a straight face that a politician coming out of the Chicago democratic political machine can be noble, honest and wise.

Dude, learn to read more carefully. You'll probably find that Erik would respect your opinion more if you actually spell his name correctly. It's not THAT hard, surely? You've quoted it!

**dan bailey** · 11-12-2008, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by Gavin Higginbotham, BotF

Dude, learn to read more carefully. You'll probably find that Erik would respect your opinion more if you actually spell his name correctly. It's not THAT hard, surely? You've quoted it!

That's a rather unfair expectation for someone who hasn't yet mastered the distinctions between "you're" & "your," not to mention "it's" & "its," don't you think?

**Gavin Higginbotham, BotF** · 11-12-2008, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by dan bailey

That's a rather unfair expectation for someone who hasn't yet mastered the distinctions between "you're" & "your," not to mention "it's" & "its," don't you think?

True. I didn't want to go all the way into dissecting the post... mainly as I simply don't have the time! :)

**Erik Larsen** · 11-12-2008, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by Redchief

Eric, your being deluded. Just look at how the Obama won his state senate seat (he had the incumbent tossed off the ballet on a technicality) and US Senate seat (both his primary and general election opponents had their sealed, confidential divorce proceedings released, something virtually unheard of). Its hard to believe you can say with a straight face that a politician coming out of the Chicago democratic political machine can be noble, honest and wise.

My point is--people didn't start portraying Ronald Reagan as a doddering old fool until he became one and people didn't portray Bill Clinton as a skirt chaser until the word was out on that and George W. Bush wasn't portrayed as a nincompoop before he took office.

My point was--and is--that Barack Obama should be given the chance to show us what kind of president he is before he's portrayed as a crook or a liar or anything else. The guy gets a grace period. At this point he hasn't even been sworn in yet.

It's pretty clear whose side you're on in all of this. I suppose you were applauding the fact that I had George W. Bush show up a few years back and restrained myself from using actual quotes of his verbatim that would make him sound like an idiot. I tend to play nice with whatever real people show up in my book, feeling that it's unfair for me to put words in their mouths which they might not mutter. As much as President Bush trips over his tongue, he seldom repeats the same gaffs and he generally doesn't string them together.

I actually think that Obama will do a decent job. He was left a country in pretty sad shape and I think he'll make a sincere effort to make things better. There is the weight of history to consider here. What does he want the legacy of America's first black president to be?

The GOP went after Obama pretty viciously during the election and Obama and the Dems showed incredible restraint given the ammo that the right themselves dug up and used to oppose McCain earlier. Obama wasn't playing dirty to anywhere near the level his opponent was.

And like it or not--Obama is a smart man. He was first in his class--not near the bottom--he was an attorney. You don't get to be a Constitutional attorney if you don't know the law and the Constitution. But again--you're misquoting and misconstruing what I said. I said, Obama "mayactually turn out to be noble and honest and wise. Time will tell." I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt--giving him the opportunity to show what kind of President he is before I judge him.

That's me--fair and balanced.